Episode Five

In which our heroes cavort and gallivant

Wednesday 11th October dawned, and with it the rescheduled visit to Sheffield, where the old firm were due to support Half Man Half Biscuit - this time for real. A fleet of motor cars ferried our heroes to their destination, and we all met up in the car park opposite The Boardwalk at a respectable hour. No petrol crisis, no surly farmers or truck-driving folk, and fortunately no other reason for the gig to be cancelled. We soundchecked at leisure and all went smoothly.
The Biscuit faithful duly arrived, and we were pleased to regale them with some musical happenings. Lots of people came, and Jessi Adams' Private Enterprise Ltd almost entirely sold out of 'Juggling is Shit' t-shirts, which seem to have appealed to the Biscuitonians.
Everyone was jolly civilised, and we particularly enjoyed the vol-au-vents in the dressing room. Thanks to Chris for those.

Likewise the next visit to the Victoria Hotel in Derby on December 1st. On this occasion we were joined not only by General Winter, but also Mr Chris Butler, who has supported us on occasion in the past, and who was so good as to play two sets to fill in the gaps between bands. He's due to play at the Tallington Ashes this year, so be prepared.
This weekend was a bit of a gallivant for some of us. The Harrogate contingent had been in the sunny south, and had spent the morning in a traffic jam in London picking up surplus stock from former distributors Topic Records. General Winter gallantly ferried the rest of the gear up from Birmingham, and we had a rampantly excellent night. Thanks to the Victoria for having us back - and especially for adding us to their wall of fame. This is only the second we've been on - the other being in Breitenbach in Austria... you might have missed that one...

Back to Birmingham that night, where we stayed at the exclusive Chez Jessi's. Some of us had crucial business of a plastic nature the following morning, so an early rising was followed by a trek acrosss to ED Models on the other side of town. What should have been a relaxing trip to Hitchin in the hired van was made complicated by the spontaneous disintegration of the rear windscreen in the Harrogateer - a fine white Proton - which necessitated a degree of fannying around, and resulted in a late departure.
Hitchin was, as usual, an enjoyable night out with a good meal thrown in by the boss. Apologies to all those who had to leave half way through our set, but the support band overran by a wide margin. Drat, drat and triple drat. They're young, perhaps they'll learn. But not at another Blyth gig...

The final event of the year took place in Brighton at The Evening Star on December 30th. This was a solo event, featuring Mr Porter and his shopsoiled Washburn guitar. Readers will be pleased to note that he has added a fine pick-up to this machine, and as a result he no longer sounds like a cross between a cement mixer and a banjo. Phew!
Mr Porter took the stage, as directed, at 18.30, which may seem a little early, but that's what he was asked to do. One by one the afternoon drinkers departed, and for a nasty moment we were alone with only Oxford Robin and Long-Haired Steve for company. Fortunately the honest burgers of Brighton began to turn up towards the end of the first set, and egg was deftly removed from face by their arrival.
Second set featured the first, last, and only ever solo performance of Folsom Prison Blues, which was requested by a gentleman with a strange haircut, who purportedly had a copy of the Ixion 12-inch, on which the band's abysmal version was released. As it was Christmas, and as we were all in a silly mood, it seemed not an unreasonable request. Never again.
So ended the year, and so ends another chapter in the life and times of Blyth Power.

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